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MAY/JUN 04 Nsltr FALSE MEMORY SYNDROME FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER MAY/JUNE 2004 Vol. 13 No. 3 Dear Friends, events occurred in his or her childhood, and is motivated to When the FMS Foundation was founded in 1992, we recall such events, childhood photos constitute a source of were confident that the positions the Foundation espoused detailed and vivid perceptual images that may be combined were those of the scientific mainstream. Unfortunately, the with products of imagination to yield compelling prevailing cultural climate supported extreme hostility to pseudomemories.” The effect of photos and false memories the FMSF. In retrospect, it is seems ludicrous that so many in their study was a dramatic 67 percent. (See p. 2) professionals were afraid to support the FMSF publicly and The state of New Hampshire has passed an informed that recovered-memory proponents claimed that the FMSF consent bill with the following language (See p. 6) was anti-establishment. This is what we said in 1992: “Clients have the right to documented informed consent: To be fully informed of the risks and benefits of alternative “Some memories are true, some are a mixture of fact and treatments and the risks and benefits of no treatment. When fiction, and some are false, whether those memories are con- obtaining informed consent for treatment for which safety tinuous or remembered after a time of being forgotten.” and effectiveness have not been established, therapists inform Time has proved us correct. Month after month we have their clients of this and of the voluntary nature of their par- reported on scholarly works and events that provided addi- ticipation.” tional scientific evidence about memory and the dangers of This month, more recovered memory therapists have therapies that focus on excavating “buried memories.” The been held accountable for their actions. Attorney Michael evidence keeps coming. Shinn describes a truly bizarre case on page 8. In that regard, we are extremely pleased that Elizabeth There is good news from Massachusetts. Gerald Loftus has been elected to the National Academy of Amirault should finally be released from jail on April 30. Sciences, one of the highest honors that can be given to an After keeping him incarcerated as long as she could without U.S. scientist. Loftus is a highly visible proponent of posi- revealing the fundamental weaknesses of the State’s case, tions held by the Foundation and, obviously, highly respect- the district attorney said: “The Commonwealth does not ed. The FMSF Scientific and Professional Advisory Board believe that it could garner evidence to meet its burden of now lists a total of seven members of the NAS and IOM proof required under the statute that Mr. Amirault would (Institute of Medicine): Aaron T. Beck, Lila Gleitman, likely reoffend.” Ernest Hilgard, Philip S. Holzman, Elizabeth Loftus, Paul Of course, there will continue to be setbacks, but much McHugh and Ulric Neisser (www.nationalacademies.org). has been accomplished. Thank you to all of the courageous All but one of these distinguished scientists were on the families and professionals whose willingness to be public founding FMSF Advisory Board of just 15 members. helped accomplish so many changes. This month, the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision eliminating the use of hearsay evi- Pamela dence, a practice that has plagued sex abuse trials. (See p. 6) In this issue... Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote the opinion, stated: Mak....................................................................................3 “Dispensing with confrontation because testimony is obvi- Legal Corner ....................................................................6 ously reliable is akin to dispensing with jury trial because a Barden ..............................................................................6 defendant is obviously guilty.” Shinn ..................................................................................8 Pendergrast....................................................................10 In the research realm, Stephen Lindsay and colleagues From Our Readers..........................................................12 hypothesized that “if a person believes that certain kinds of Bulletin Board ................................................................14 1955 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-5766, 215-940-1040, Fax 215-940-1042, www.FMSFonline.org Picture This through an interaction between things Aaron Beck Receives 2004 Lindsay, D.S., Hagen, L, Read, J.D., Wade, that really have happened to us in the Grawemeyer Award K.A. & Garry, M. (2004). True past and our current expectations and In December 2003, Aaron T. Beck, photographs and false memories. [1] beliefs.” M.D., was awarded the Grawemeyer Psychological Science 15 (3). pp. 149-154. 1. (2004, April 8). So it’s lies, damned lies and Award in psychology for the Year Many FMSF families are aware memories. South Wales Evening Post. p. 15. 2004. The honor includes $200,000 that trauma-memory-oriented thera- Elizabeth Loftus Elected to that Dr. Beck plans to use to help fund pists often ask patients to bring family National Academy of Sciences pioneering research on cognitive thera- photographs to help recover memories py for schizophrenia. of abuse. Lindsay et al. hypothesized On April 20, 2004, the National Dr. Beck, FMSF Advisor, is com- that “if a person believes that certain Academy of Sciences (NAS) monly referred to as the “Father of kinds of events occurred in his or her announced the names of newly elected Cognitive Therapy.” His work has had childhood, and is motivated to recall members. We are pleased to report that worldwide impact on the practice of such events, childhood photos consti- FMSF Advisory Board member psychotherapy. He is Professor tute a source of detailed and vivid per- Elizabeth F. Loftus, Ph.D., Distin- Emeritus of Psychiatry at the ceptual images that may be combined guished Professor, Department of University of Pennsylvania School of with products of imagination to yield Psychology and Social Behavior and Medicine and is the founder and presi- compelling pseudomemories.” Department of Criminology, Law, and dent of the Beck Institute for Cognitive The researchers asked 45 under- Society, University of California, Therapy and Research. graduates to try to remember three Irvine, has been honored with mem- Among his awards are those from school-related childhood events. Par- bership. the American Psychological ents of the subjects gave the re- The NAS was established in 1863 Association, the American Psychiatric searchers two true events. The by an act of congress that was signed Association, and the 2001 Heinz researchers created a story about put- by Abraham Lincoln. The Academy Award for the Human Condition. In ting Slime in the teacher’s desk drawer acts as an official advisor to the feder- 2003, the Institute of Medicine award- but told the students that their parents al government in matters of science or ed him the Sarnat Prize. told them about the Slime (untrue). technology. Election to membership in Dr. Beck is also known for his Half of the subjects were also given the Academy is considered one of the warmth and humor. Psychologist Rob photographs of their school classes. highest honors that can be given to a DeRubeis recently commented about The undergraduates were told to U.S. scientist or engineer. There are him: “When I sit with him, if I think take some time to think about the currently 1,949 active members in the about it, I know I’m sitting with per- events and provide more information Academy, 56 of whom are in the sec- haps the most influential psychiatrist by imagining themselves as children. tion of psychology and lingistics. of his time, if not ever. And at the same Asubstantial number of under- The FMSF Scientific and time, I’m aware that he is as plain-spo- graduates in both groups developed Professional Advisory Board now lists ken and down-to-earth as anybody I false memories. However, the rate of a total of seven members of the NAS know.” false-memory reports was twice as and IOM (Institute of Medicine): Aaron T. Beck, Lila Gleitman, Ernest Rob DeRubeis, Ph.D. (2004). Beck in Action. high in the group that was shown the APS Observer 17 (3), pp. 7-8. Hilgard, Philip S. Holzman, Elizabeth photos. The effect was dramatic: 67 Winston, S. (2004, January 16). Aaron Beck, percent of the students who received Loftus, Paul McHugh and Ulric MD, Received awards from the Institute of the photos developed false memories. Neisser. Medicine and the University of Louisville. According to Lindsay, “memories All but one of these distinguished Press release from University of Pennsylvania scientists were on the founding FMSF Health Systems Office of Public Affairs. aren’t things that are stored somewhere in your head. Memories are experi- Advisory Board of just 15 members. ences that we can have that arise My point is that our cultural assump- tions have shifted. The claim of victim- special thanks FMSF Advisor David Dinges, Ph.D., hood is no longer enough to make lis- We extend a very special “Thank you” to will receive the “Decade of Behavior all of the people who help prepare the Research Award for 2004” on May 10, teners suspend their critical faculties, FMSF Newsletter. Editorial Support: 2004 from the Federation of Behavioral, even when made by a noted feminist. Janet Fetkewicz, Howard Fishman, Peter Wendy McElroy (2004, March, 17). Freyd, Members of the FMSF Scientific Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, and the
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